KEY POINTS:
One tonne of a highly toxic liquid chemical stolen from a Mt Maunganui factory at the weekend could be used to manufacture P with a street value of up to $10 million.
The amount of hypophosphorous acid stolen in the raid at the Totara St facility would contribute to the manufacture of 400kg of methamphetamine, Detective Sergeant Darryl Brazier of Tauranga CIB, said.
Mr Brazier said he had heard of the raw chemical, of which an 800-litre container was stolen, having a black market value as high as $6000 to $9000 a litre but conservatively it could be worth $800 to $1000.
However, Mr Brazier said large quantities of other ingredients would be required to make P.
He said the substance ContacNT, which contains pseudoephedrine and is imported into New Zealand in pill form, would be required with large quantities of iodine and other acid-based chemicals. Mr Brazier said while police were very keen to catch the thieves, their main concern was the danger posed by such a large quantity of the extremely toxic, hypophosphorous acid, being in the wrong hands.
He said there were concerns the highly flammable chemical posed a danger to people as well as the environment, should the thieves attempt to dispose of any excess.
Police have not revealed the name of the factory for fear of a copycat raid.
It appeared the thieves had used a forklift on the premises to lift the plastic container on to the back of a vehicle.
Mr Brazier said with tight security at the chemical storage and supply facility, it appeared the offenders had been familiar with the layout of the premises.
He said the large quantity of the acid stolen was enough to manufacture a significant amount of the drug P.
Mr Brazier said he recalled a burglary at the same chemical store about two years ago.
Senior Sergeant Rob Glencross said there were only a couple of premises in the region that held these kind of chemicals.
- BAY OF PLENTY TIMES
